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Tacoma Police Officer Drives Through Crowd, Runs Over One, Video Shows

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A Tacoma, Washington, police officer drove through a crowd Saturday night, running over one before driving off, videos show.

The person run over was sent to the hospital and remains in unknown condition, according to multiple reports. The officer was responding to multiple reports of a group of people blocking a downtown intersection, and upon arriving the crowd began to swarm the police car, the Tacoma Police Department said.

“I am concerned that our department is experiencing another use of deadly force incident,” said interim Tacoma Police Chief Mike Ake, adding that he was “committed” to a full investigation of the incident.

@KING5Seattle @komonews @TacomaPD just witnessed a tacoma police officer run over a civilian while in pursuit of someone doing burnouts pic.twitter.com/oRHxhyiGBd

— ViNTAGE MEME (@sabeanerr7) January 24, 2021

9th and Pacific Ave in Tacoma pic.twitter.com/C76iq2Eimw

— Jason Gauthier (@jasonjgauthier) January 24, 2021

Some videos posted online said the incident was a “car meet,” with people gathering to watch cars do donuts and other stunts. Videos taken appeared to be in the same intersection where one person was eventually run over.

Multiple videos showed the police car rolling over a person and continuing to drive afterward. The crowd of approximately 100 people had blocked off the downtown intersection when police arrived, surrounding police cars as they came.

“People hit the body of the police vehicle and its windows as the officer was stopped in the street. The officer, fearing for his safety, tried to back up, but was unable to do so because of the crowd,” a spokesman for the police department said.